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1911: Marshal Woofter murdered by Jim Lynch

Trish Long, El Paso Times
Published 11:02 a.m. MT March 28, 2017

June 2, 1911 The Carlsbad Current

While attempting to make a search for liquor at the house of Jim Lynch, at the corner of First street and Richardson avenue, at five o'clock yesterday afternoon, City Marshal Roy Woofter, was shot through the stomach and bowels, with a .45 calibre Winchester rifle; and he died at five o'clock this morning from the injury. He made a dying statement to District Attorney L.O. Fullen, at St. Mary's hospital at ten o'clock last night in which he identified the voice of the man who shot him as being that of Jim Lynch, who had been arrested a few minutes before the shooting by Marshal Woofter and Policemen Ed and Henry Carmichael who had gone to his house with the officer to make the search. Within fifteen minutes after the shooting Lynch was arrest at his house by Deputy Sheriffs Jim Johnson and Clarence Young, who took him by auto to the county jail. Lynch's preliminary hearing will be held early next week before Justice R.D. Bell, who this morning issued the warrant for his arrest on the charge of killing the officer, the warrant being issued upon complaint of Deputy Sheriff Young, with the approval of District Attorney Fullen. Arrangements for the funeral of the deceased marshal have not been made. The body is at the Dilley parlors. After the shooting the city officers completed the search of the house and found a barrel of bottled beer and also an ice box with a large number of bottles of beer inside.

The trouble arose over the searching of the lynch premises for liquor under the prohibition ordinance. Upon complaint of Marshal Woofter, a warrant was issued by Justice Marcellus W. Witt for the arrest of Lynch, charging him with keeping liquor at his premises for the purpose of sale and charging the arresting officer to make a search for the goods. Marshal Woofter and the Carmichael Brothers, city policemen, went to serve the warrant and found Lynch in the alley back of the Smoke House, in company with Fred Higgins. The city officers served the warrant and told Lynch they wanted to go and make the search. He told them all right and as they started off Lynch asked Higgins to go along. Higgins declined, saying that it was none of his business. Marshal Woofter then told Higgins to come along, and Higgins did so. The party was joined, also, by "Red Tom" (other name not known) who is a friend of Lynch.

At the Lynch house the officers entered the front door and went into the first room. At the door into the second room Lynch stepped through and slammed the door shut and locked it in the face of the officers. Woofter kicked it twice but it did not open. The Carmichaels said it would do no good to break down the door as there were others, and said they might as well go around to the back door. Henry Carmichael had already gone to the back door when Woofter started around and they met on the south side of the house, Henry Carmichael coming back. Ed Carmichael had been left in the front room of the house. The porch runs around the house on three sides and Woofter was on this porch, in front of the kitchen window that faces the west, when a man inside called to him in a tone of caution and immediately fired, Woofter was doubled up by the shot but did not fall.

Woofter ran into the arms of Henry Carmichael and told the policeman to get him out of there and to let Lynch go and to get him to a doctor and to his wife, saying he thought he was killed. Ed Carmichael meanwhile had started around to the back door, and the two officers took Woofter to the next door neighbor's house and sent for an ambulance and doctors. Woofter was taken to St. Mary's hospital and put under the care of the surgeons.

A big crowd was not long in gathering and Deputy Sheriffs Johnson and Young went into the house, finding Lynch awaiting their coming, with his Winchester in his hand. He gave up without resistance, handed over the gun to Deputy Johnson and to these officers made the remark that a man had a right to defend his own home, and other similar remarks.

Mayor Veal was one of the early arrivals at the place and under his direction the back door of the house was broken in and the search completed by Officers Carmichael and Carmichael and Dan Kirkpatrick, of the city fire department.

When Deputy Sheriffs Johnson and Young came to arrest Lynch they called to him that they wanted to come in. He told them to come on in. They answered that the door was locked. He did not want to open it evidently, for he told them to take their knife and reach through the screening and unhook the screen. The officers refused and finally Lynch opened the door himself. The door was locked after the officers and their prisoners went out.

Marshal Woofter did not lose consciousness. He talked freely of the affair and his first remark at seeing Deputy Johnson at the hospital was, "Jim, did you get him?"

Drs. Howard Crutcher, D.H. Galloway, W.W. Phillips and O.R. Haymaker were summoned and operated on the injured man after he had been placed under the anesthetic. He was on the table an hour and a half. It was found that the bullet, an immense army ball, had entered about an inch above and a little to the side of the naval, passed through the stomach and bowels and out at the left side of the back at the point known as the hip bone, mashing off some of the bone and taking the pieces out with it. Internal bleeding was very free, especially at the wound in the stomach. A large amount of the intestines had passed out at the hole at the back when the first examination was made at the hospital. The shell picked up by Deputy Johnson shows that the ball was what is known as the U.S.A. ball, which weighs 405 grams and is made of soft lead.

The bullet also cut the officer's leather covered club in two, except for the wire center, and was not found. The club was picked up from off the ground just west of the window, where the broken glass and a hole in the screen showed the course of the shot.

After rallying from the anesthetic, Marshal Woofter was entirely rational and with Official Court Reporter Earl Iden taking down his words made his final statement to District Attorney L.O. Fullen. This statement is held as evidence and cannot be published.

Jim Lynch has been in Roswell many years. He is married but has no children. His wife is at present on a visiting and pleasure trip to Arkansas in company with her sister, Mrs. A.L. Schneider. For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. Lynch ran the place where the shooting occurred as a rooming house. When seen at the jail this morning by a Record reporter he declined to make any statement whatever. He has employed O.O. Askren as his lawyer.

Roy Woofter has been in Roswell 5 or 6 years, having come from Albia Iowa. He was married here about three years ago and leaves no children. He came to this country for his health. He had served as an officer in Albia and at his former home in Western, West Virginia. He was city marshal of Roswell about two years and was a policeman about the same length of time before taking the chief's desk. He was a Mason in good standing in Western Lodge No. 10 A.F & A.M. at Western, West Viorginian, and his home lodge this morning telegraphed the local Masons todl all in their power for him and his family.

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